Zaza ready for Valencia challenge after EPL flop
VALENCIA: Italy striker Simone Zaza is anxious to put an unhappy loan spell at West Ham behind him and focus on helping his new club Valencia climb up the La Liga table.
The 25- year- old made 11 appearances in all competitions for West Ham without scoring a goal after joining the English Premier League club last year on a season-long loan.
Zaza, who returned to his parent club Juventus this month, has joined Valencia on a six-month loan deal and the Spanish team have an option to buy the former Sassuolo hitman.
“I want to play here and not just for six months,” Zaza told reporters on Monday.
“I think I can a do a good job. “I chose Valencia because it’s the team that wanted me the most. It’s very important for me to feel valued.
“I hope that I can score many goals although the most important thing is to help the team climb up in the standings.”
Zaza blamed himself for his frustrating spell in England.
“It was a very difficult time for me,” he said.
“When I left Juventus I was very optimistic. I wanted to have an experience in England because I thought that would best suit my qualities.
“But everything started badly. I think the biggest at fault was me because I was very negative and I never saw the positive side to my situation.
“It was a different culture and atmosphere to mine.
“Now that I’m here, I feel bad not proving in England what I’m capable of.”
Zaza was in the stands at the Mestalla Stadium to watch Valencia beat Espanyol 2-1 on Sunday, their first win since October.
It was their first victory under Salvador “Voro” Gonzalez, who stepped in as caretaker coach following Cesare Prandelli’s resignation on Dec 30.
“I thought that when Prandelli left Valencia would not sign me,” Zaza said. “But they called me the same night he (Prandelli) left to tell me they still wanted me.”
Valencia are 17th in the standings, four points clear of the relegation zone with a game in hand.